You can't scare the residents of Syunik with gunfire. The governor of Syunik Province, Robert Ghukasyan, told this to reporters at the National Assembly of Armenia on Wednesday—and answering the question of whether Azerbaijan's nightly shootings affect the mood in the region.

The governor confirmed that Azerbaijan continues firing shots at night. There are no new cases of damage to houses, added the governor. Ghukasyan found it difficult to talk about the purpose of such actions, and emphasized only that it will not be possible to scare the residents of Syunik.

When asked whether the residents of Syunik believe in Armenia’s peace agenda with Azerbaijan in such conditions, Ghukasyan replied that one wants to believe in peace more amid the shootings.

Ghukasyan said that the nightly shootings by Azerbaijan do not interfere with agricultural work in Syunik Province, and generally dismissed the opinion that the Syunik residents were attempting to leave the region due to the tense atmosphere.

To the remark that former oppositionists are now welcoming in a friendly manner the Armenian leadership visiting Syunik Province, the governor responded that any community leader is concerned about the problems of his community and has to work together with the government.

The Syunik governor, however, did not comment on the military exercises being held in Nakhichevan, and noted only that as long as there is no peace, the threat of war always exists.

Robert Ghukasyan did not comment also on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation issue, and made a reference to the lack of specific information in that regard.